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Firefighters are combating a wind-driven brush fire that has grown to more than 1,000 acres and has prompted the evacuation of residents north of Bonny Doon in an unincorporated area of Santa Cruz County, a Cal Fire battalion chief said.
The fire broke out at about 7 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Jamison Creek and Empire Grade roads, Battalion Chief Jim Crawford said. He said the wind-driven fire is burning heavy brush and timber.
Crawford estimated 300 firefighters were combating the flames at about 10:15 p.m. and more fire crews were en route. The cause of the fire is unknown at present.
The Santa Cruz Sentinal reported at 2:55 a.m. that Flames leapt into the night sky above the ridges of the Santa Cruz Mountains as the fire burned in heavily wooded terrain. The fire was fanned by winds howling through the canyon near the end of Empire Grade Road, whipping the fire through the dry vegetation under the cool night air, the Sentinel reported.
At 10:30 p.m. the fire had consumed more than 1,000 acres, and was expanding rapidly, according to news reports.
Firefighters say they believe the fire is burning in the area northwest of the Lehi Camp toward Last Chance Road.
At 10:15 p.m. evacuation orders were sent via reverse 911 calling to residents on Swanton Road, Swanton View Road, Mill Creek Road, Last Chance Road, Warnella Truck Trail, Rancho Del Oso and Pinstock.
At least 25 fire crews have been summoned to combat the fire, and a staging area has been established at the site of the Lockheed Martin Space Systems complex in the area.
— Bay City News and Palo Alto Weekly staff
— Bay City News and Palo Alto Weekly staff
— Bay City News and Palo Alto Weekly staff
This isn’t good.
Lockheed Fire Incident Information:
Last Updated: August 13, 2009 8:30 am
Date/Time Started: August 12, 2009 7:16 pm
Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE San Mateo – Santa Cruz Unit
County: Santa Cruz County
Location: Bonny Doon area – Smith Drainage
Acres Burned: 2,300 acres
Containment 2,300 acres – 0% containment
Threatened: 250 residences and 25 businesses are threatened in the town of Davenport.
Evacuations: Mandatory evacuations for the Swanton area and voluntary evacuations for the community of Bonny Doon.
Cause: Under Investigation
Total Fire Personnel: 300+
Engines: 15
Fire crews: 14
Dozers: 4
Water tenders: 3
Major Incident Command Team: CAL FIRE ICT #9 has been activated
Conditions: Significant resources have been ordered for this incident.
A friend just sent me this :
I in Bonny Doon, HWY 1 side of the moutain heavy smoke, Empire Grade side silght hit of smoke, Looks like the wind is shifting this is real bad. I just saw fremont, newark, sanjose, san mateo fire trucks pass my house. tons of air support, they are moving the staging area from Swaton fire to Bonny Doon Airport.